A/N: Thank you all so much for reading and/or reviewing. It makes me happy to see you all enjoying the story. Also a huge thanks to Heather for making sure that the commas I so despise are added and in the correct place.

"I think I might know the answer to that," Emmett said in a quiet voice from the doorway.

I looked over at him and noticed a frown marring his normally happy face.

He walked and sat down on the other side of me before apologizing for Rose's behavior, and I shook my head as I told him not to. Rose was responsible for her actions, and she was allowed to think what she wanted.

"Rose heard it from Lauren," he told me.

"They're friends?" I asked, thinking that would certainly explain Rose's attitude toward me.

"Cousins, actually. Normally, Rosie can't stand her, but when Lauren heard you and Edward were dating, she went to Rose with all this drug addict nonsense."

"And she believed her?" Edward asked in an incredulous voice.

"I don't know Bella from Adam, so yes, I believed my cousin. I didn't see why she'd lie about that," Rose said from the doorway.

"Um, how about the fact that she's been wanting Edward since, like, fifth grade?" Alice said from behind her, a scowl on her face. "Even you had to have seen the pathetic attempts over the years."

"Honestly, that thought never even crossed my mind. Lauren and I have been getting along lately, and I was the one who asked her what she knew about Bella. I was just trying to look out for Edward," Rose said in a defensive voice.

I could see Alice getting more upset which was causing Emmett to get upset, and I just wanted to put all of it behind me.

"Just forget about it, okay? I'm not a drug addict, and it's fairly clear to everyone is this room that Lauren has a problem with me and is willing to say whatever she can about me," I told them.

"Look," Rose said. "I'm sorry. I've had a bad experience with someone dating a drug addict, and it put me on the defensive."

"Whatever," I said with a wave of my hand. "Let's just move on and forget about it."

Rose and Alice both nodded their heads, and they, along with Emmett, left the room, leaving Edward and I alone once more.

"I can't believe Lauren would do that," Edward hissed, and I let out a sigh.

"I can. Nothing about that girl would surprise me," I told him, reaching out and squeezing his hand before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Let's go downstairs and relax," I suggested, wanting to put the ugliness of the night behind us for the moment.

I'd come over to have a good time, and I wasn't going to let Lauren Mallory and her lies ruin my fun anymore than it already had.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Edward asked, getting up from the bed, and I nodded. I was going to be fine especially once I gave Lauren a piece of my mind.

"Okay, sweet girl. Let's go enjoy the night," he said, leaning down and placing a long slow kiss on my lips before pulling away.

Unable to let him go just yet, I reached out and hooked my hands around his neck and pulled him back for another kiss. I pressed my lips to his, moaning when his tongue lightly stroked mine. I could so easily get lost in his kisses, and apparently I did because we were interrupted by a smirking Alice.

"Sorry to interrupt, but Emmett wants to know what movie we're watching next."

Edward rolled his eyes and told her we'd be down in a minute which caused Alice to roll her eyes at us.

"Sure you will. I'll just tell Emmett to put in something. It's not like you two will even watch it. You'll be too busy making out," she teased before making her way down the stairs.

"We should probably go before Emmett comes up and starts teasing us," Edward said, and I nodded my head in agreement.

We made our way downstairs and were soon immersed in the awesomeness that was Simon Pegg. The man was hilarious, and as I cuddled with Edward on the couch, I felt my bad mood slipping away.

A little after ten, I excused myself to use the bathroom, and when I came back out, Rose was standing there.

"I wanted to apologize once more," she said with an embarrassed look on her face. "I never should have listened to Lauren, but my older brother dated a druggie and became one himself. He died three years ago, and I just couldn't let Emmett go through that."

"I understand, Rose. I do, but rest assured, I'm not a drug addict. I've seen what it can do to people as well, and I don't want any part of that. I'd never do anything to hurt Edward, Emmett, or Alice."

She nodded her head before apologizing once more, and I told her it was done and over with, but that I would be having a talk with Lauren.

"Don't be fooled by her dumb blonde act," Rose warned me. "She's a master manipulator, and she tends to get what she wants. Well, with the exception of Edward. He wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole."

"I can handle her," I told Rose as we made our way back into the living room.

I saw both Edward and Emmett cast us worried looks, and I mouthed that everything was fine. While I was still a little upset with Rose, I could understand where she was coming from, and I couldn't fault her too much for wanting to look out for her friends.

We stayed up until after two, and after I'd said goodnight to everyone, I changed into my pajamas in the guest bathroom and then crawled into a bed made of Heaven. I'd never slept in such a comfortable bed, and I knew that I'd probably get the best sleep of my life.

I had just settled in when there was a knock on my door, and Edward poked his head in when I told him to come in.

"Do you have everything you need?" he asked as he came further into the room, and I nodded.

"Oh, yeah. Do you think I can take this bed home with me?" I asked him as I stretched out.

He let out a laugh.

"I don't think it will fit in your jeep," he commented as he brushed a lock of hair away from my face.

"Sadly, I think you're right," I said with a sad sigh.

He let out a small chuckle as he leaned down and placed a kiss on my lips, whispering good night.

I was reluctant to let him go, but I knew we'd both be in trouble if his parents caught him alone in the guest room this late at night.

"Go," I said, pushing him lightly.

"I'm going. Feel free to sleep in. Alice doesn't get up before ten on the weekends," he told me as he got up from the bed and made his way toward the door.

I fell asleep right away, and when I woke up, I was surprised to see that it was a little before ten. I'd had the best sleep of my life, and I was extremely reluctant to leave the comforts of that bed, but my bladder wasn't going to let me stay.

I made my way into the bathroom, and after using it and washing my hands, I decided to take a quick shower. The bathroom was fully stocked with towels, soaps, and shampoos, so I didn't have to worry about bothering Alice.

After my shower, I got dressed in jeans, socks, and a dark blue thermal shirt before braiding my wet hair and making my way down stairs.

I was a bit nervous as I slowly made my way into the kitchen, and I hoped that Edward was already down there. Thankfully, he was along with a sleepy looking Emmett.

"Morning, Bella," Edward said, planting a kiss on my cheek, and I gave him a smile in return.

"Did you sleep okay, Bella?" Esme asked, and I'd been so focused on Edward that I hadn't even realized she was in the room.

"I did, thank you," I told her as I took a seat at the kitchen counter next to Edward.

There were several plates and bowls full of food spread out over the counter, and it looked as though Esme had cooked enough for an army. Granted, I'd seen the way the boys ate, so I imagined that Esme would constantly have to cook a ton.

"Help yourself to whatever you want," Esme said, handing me a plate which I took as I tried to decide what I wanted to eat.

A few minutes later, I had a plate full of eggs, corned beef hash, toast, bacon, and a smaller plate with a waffle. I was starving, and I dared either of the boys to judge me.

"No way you can eat all that," Emmett said as he stared at my plate.

"Maybe not, but I'm gonna try," I told him, and Edward grinned before telling me how glad he was to be with a girl who wasn't afraid to eat.

Just as I was finishing my plate of food, Alice walked in, wearing hot pink pajamas, and her dark hair was a crazy, insane mess.

"Good morning, Alice," I said, and she shot me a dark look as she shuffled her way over to the coffee maker.

I watched in part horror, part fascination as she poured a large mug of coffee into which she put no less than six tablespoons of sugar.

"Why not just drink the sugar," I commented quietly to Edward, and he let out a snort.

Once Alice had drunk two cups of sugar-laced coffee, she began to become the girl I was used to, and soon, she was rattling off the plans she had for us that day.

"There's ice skating at the park, and I thought we could go this morning and then grab lunch out. What do you think?" she asked.

"Desert girl here. I've never been ice skating," I told them.

"I'll teach you," Edward said. "And, I promise, I won't let you fall."

I trusted Edward, and if he said he wouldn't let me fall, then I knew he wouldn't. However, I also knew that me sliding around on ice on a thin blade just might be dangerous.

An hour later, we were ready to go, and I was surprised that Emmett wasn't coming with us, but he told me that he and Rose were getting together. That was said with wiggling eyebrows, and I shuddered at the thought of what they would get up to.

"Jazz is going to meet us there," Alice said as we climbed into Edward's Volvo, and I was excited to see him again. Jasper seemed absolutely perfect for Alice, and I knew just how serious they were about each other. Heck, Alice already had their wedding planned out.

"I don't think I can do this," I mumbled twenty minutes later as Edward knelt in front of me and tied the laces of my skates.

"Of course you can, sweet girl, just take my hands and hold on," he said, standing up once he was done lacing up the skates.

I gripped his hands tightly as I stood up on wobbly legs, and we slowly made our way onto the ice.

The second my skates touched the ice, I felt myself slipping, but true to his word, Edward caught me and wrapped his arms around my waist while I clutched his forearms with my hands.

"You need to relax, sweet girl," he said quietly, and I nodded that I'd heard him, but there was no way I could relax. I was too freaking scared of falling.

Slowly, Edward unwound his arms from my waist, and he took my trembling hands in his as he began to skate backwards, and I glided along with him.

"Move your feet like you would if you were on roller skates," he suggested, and I tried to do what he'd said.

"I haven't been roller skating since I was eight, and I managed to break my arm doing that," I told him.

"What did I tell you?"

"That you wouldn't let me fall," I mumbled, and he nodded.

We spent a good forty-five minutes on the ice before I was ready to call it quits. Edward had been true to his word, and I hadn't fallen once, and I'd even managed to skate on my own for a while, but I didn't think ice skating wasn't for me.

"I think I'm done," I told him after we'd circled the ice once more.

"Okay. Want some hot chocolate?" he asked as we made our way back to the edge of the rink, and I nodded.

While Edward got us our drinks, I sat down at the picnic table we'd commandeered as ours and began to unlace my skates when I heard Jessica's annoying voice.

"Hello, Bella," she said in a cool tone, and I nodded a hello to her. She really wasn't worth wasting my breath on, and I noticed that Mike was trailing along behind her.

"Kind of pathetic, isn't it?" she asked, and I just looked at her.

"Being here by yourself," she said, and I rolled my eyes as I informed her I wasn't alone.

Just then Edward came back with two cups of hot chocolate, and I watched her eyes widen as he sat down next to me and placed a quick kiss on my lips.

"Thanks, babe," I said, blowing on the cup to cool my drink off.

"Oh, hey, Jessica. Mike," Edward said as if he'd just seen them, and they mumbled quiet hellos before Jessica walked away, pulling out her phone.

"Bet she's texting Lauren," I said.

Edward shrugged. "I don't care if she tells the whole world we're dating. Maybe then, the girls will leave me alone."

I let out a giggle at his words before teasing him and calling him conceited.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Cullen. All the girls want you. Girls all over the world are pining after you. You, sir, are a heartbreaker."

"Don't pick on me," he said with a pout on his lips, and I couldn't help but lean over and press a kiss to them.

"Knock it off, you two. We're in public," Jasper teased as he and Alice came up to us, their hands clasped together.

"You're one to talk," Edward retorted which had Alice letting out a giggle. From what Edward had told me, Jasper and Alice had a tendency to get carried away with the PDA.

I wasn't a huge fan of PDA myself, but Edward was too cute to resist, and I knew I wouldn't be able to help kissing or casually touching him in public.

"Ready to eat?" Alice asked just as my stomach let out a loud rumble, and I nodded my head as Edward let out a laugh.

"I guess that's a yes," he said with a wink.

a/n: As always, let me know what you thought. I'll see you all next Saturday.